Beijing

Parks and Recreation

Beijing's history as a gracious imperial city can be seen in its parks and outdoor recreational areas, which are more numerous than those in most other Chinese cities. The most centrally located is Chung-shan Park, adjacent to the west wall of Tiananmen Square. With pavilions, kiosks, and other structures scattered amid pools, flower gardens, willow trees, and bamboo, the park constitutes a characteristic Chinese garden landscape that includes a pavilion built over a lotus pond. This park is also the site of an ancient altar and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (formerly a religious shrine), which is over 500 years old—Beijing's oldest wooden building.

Ching-shan Park, also called Meishan (or Coal Hill) Park, extends over an artificial hill north of the Forbidden City. The park, which affords a dramatic view of the city, is also home to the educational and recreational facilities of the Beijing Children's Palace, located at its northern end. Half of Pei Hai Park's 71 hectares (176 acres) consist of water, making this park a favorite with rowers in summer and ice skaters in winter. A number of cultural and educational facilities, including the Beijing Library, are located within its boundaries.

The Summer Palace is the largest park on the outskirts of the city. K'unming Lake occupies four-fifths of the

park's 324 hectares (800 acres), with the rest consisting of artificial landscaping. There are more than 100 buildings in the park, as well as elaborate covered promenades connecting its lakefront sites. The Beijing Zoological Gardens at the western edge of the city is China's largest zoo and is home to animals from all over China and the world. The zoo is especially famous for its giant panda bears.

Popular outdoor activities in Beijing include tennis, golf, miniature golf, badminton, squash, horseback riding, kite flying, martial arts, swimming, and the contemporary sport of paintball.